Philosophy & Mission Statement for Little Kidette Academy

Little Kidette Academy is a family child care home  caring for no more then 10 children  ranging in ages from 6 weeks old to 12 years old. This family child care home strives to provide a safe and fun environment for the children attending to learn and grow in. All activities will be developmentally appropriate for the ages and stages that each individual child is in. The program will facilitate the development of the children by observing and implementing a lesson plan that coincides to the development of all the children and their interests.

As an early childhood professional not only do I maintain the standards for the State of Nebraska and the USAF FCC program but I go above and beyond them. I attend school and many seminars yearly regarding child development to keep up to date in the field. I plan my program around the best interests of the children that are in my care on a day to day basis.

All children are such natural learners and so curious about their world! Children learn best through play and have fun learning and expanding their horizons. As adults we seem to think that play is just play, but in reality it is the best tool for learning that children have. Through play they learn many things that build the solid foundation to their education. By scaffolding the children’s developmental learning we are ensuring that the child has the skills to move up to the next level. All children need to have a safe and fun learning environment where they are free to explore, learn and have fun while doing it. Everything a child does is a learning experience for them and should not be taken lightly.

I believe that as a childcare provider I have the abilities to help lay the foundation for each child learn and grow to their full potential. A child learns best by doing what interests them. I feel that by observing the child I am better prepared to help them build upon their interests. I use observations as a tool to enhance the children’s learning and skills. A child who is interested in something will want to learn all they can about it. This is a wonderful learning opportunity and being that the child is interested in the subject will absorb more.

As a childcare provider I want to ensure that my home is a place where the child can feel safe, cared about and have the materials necessary for them to enjoy learning. Children need to have their general needs met including safety, security, love and Little Kidette Academy strives to give these to each and every child in the family childcare home.

Learning is a life long process and the first few years of a child’s life their brain is soaking in everything good and bad. It is my hope that when the children are in the childcare home they are receiving an abundance of good learning experiences. I accomplish this by following developmentally appropriate practice when planning the children’s activities and take in account what the children want and are ready to learn.

In my childcare home I use positive guidance and natural consequences with the children. For example, if a child spills his milk, he will then have to help clean it up. This helps the children learn to overcome their accidents, mistakes and misbehavior by seeing / doing the natural consequence. I will use redirection first if a child is having a problem and see if we can find an alternative activity that will help him or her express what they need to do.

A “time-away” is only used as a last resort. By teaching the children to “own” their problem and empower them with responsibility, the child can then take the appropriate actions to rectify the situation. Spanking, corporal punishment, verbal abuse will NOT be used in the daycare home. It is against the State of Nebraska and USAF regulations.

I respect diverse family styles and recognize the strengths of each family. I plan for diversity in my daycare environment and believe that all children have a wonderful opportunity to learn about different people, religions, countries etc. All families are invited to share their diversity with the children and the provider. It is always wonderful to learn about diversity first hand from a parent as opposed to a book. Being that we are military family childcare we have many opportunities to celebrate the differences and similarities of the children in the daycare home.

I respect the decision of mothers as well as fathers to work outside the home. I understand that as a parent you trust me with the safety and well being of your most precious gift. I believe in having an open door policy so that you can stop in unannounced and check on the care that your child is receiving.

As a provider I believe that everyday I am given the chance to hold a piece of the future in my hands. Your children are the future. I am humbled by the fact that I can help facilitate the development of these wonderful children of all shapes, colors and sizes. Thank you for sharing your child with me.